Lubrication system



April 13, 1954 s. H. DoRsEY LUBRICATION SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet l `Filed Feb. 25, 1952 lllmywllll April 13, 1954 s. H. DoRsEY LUBRICATION SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 19'52 Patented Apr. 13, 1954 LUBRICATION SYSTEM Sherman H. Dorsey, Webster Groves, Mo., as-

signor to Lincoln Engineering Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application February 23, 1952, Serial No. ,272,938

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to lubrication systems, and more particularly to a lubrication system for a trailer of a tractor-trailer combination. By tractor I mean a towing vehicle, such as, for example, a truck.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of an automatic centralized lubrication system for dispensing measured charges of lubricant from a supply to points o-f lubrication on a trailer of a tractor (truck) and trailer combination; the provision of a lubrication system of the class described which positively insures proper lubrication of the trailer at periodic intervals without requiring any special attention on the part of the driver, the system acting automatically in response to operations essential to driving of the tractor in connection with the trailer; the provision of a lubrication system of the class described which derives power for its operation from the usual source of air pressure conventionally provided for operating the trailer brakes; the pro-vision of a lubrication system of the class described which is operative in response to coupling and uncoupling of an air line leading from the tractor to the trailer for supplying air to operate the trailer brakes.; and the provision of a lubrication system of the class described which may be readily and economically installed on existing as well as on new trailers. Other features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of which will be indicated in the following claim.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a semi-diagrammatic view in elevation of a typical tractor-trailer combination in which the invention is incorporated;

Fig. 2 is a semi-diagrammatic plan view of the lubrication system of this invention as incorporated in the tractor-trailer combination;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of an injector constituting one element of the system, and illustrating in section an air motor associated with the injector;

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of Fig. 3, illustrating parts in a different position from Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the injector at right angles to the section of Fig. 4. taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Y Fig. 6 is a side elevation of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged diagrammatic section taken on line 'l-l of Fig. 3, illustrating the location of certain injector ports; and,

Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 5.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

This invention is primarily concerned with the lubrication of truck-towed trailers such as operated by transport companies for hauling freight. In many instances, such companies have no assurance that their trailers will receive proper periodic lubrication, required for proper trailer maintenance, since a trailer may be in transit away from its base of operations for considerable periods of time and may be towed thousands of miles by many different drivers, indierent to trailer maintenance, before returning to its base. This Yinvention provides an economical and reliable system whereby proper periodic lubrica-` tion of the trailer is positively insured, despite existence of such conditions, completely avoiding relying on drivers for trailer lubrication.

Referring to the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a conventional tractor (truck) A and a trailer B. In accordance with conventional widespread modern practice, the trailer has an air brake system in which mechanical brakes (not shown) are actuated by diaphragm-type air motors M. These brake motors are connected in an air system supplied with air under pressure from a compressed air reservoir R-l on the tractor. It will be understood that this reservoir is maintained charged with air under pressure by a compressor (not shown) which operates when the tractor is in operation. At V is sho-wn a valve operated by the usual foot pedal brake'.

lever of the tractor. A hose line L-l leads from reservoir R-l, and a hose line L-2 leads from the valve V. A line L-Za leads from the reservoir R-I to the valve V. Lines L-I and L-Z have hose coupling members C-l and C2 at their respec tive ends connectible with corresponding hose coupling members D-l and D-2, respectively, at the forward end of the trailer. The hose coupling members will not be described in detail, being well-known in the art. A so-called emergency line E leads from the coupling member D-I and a so-called service line S leads from coupling element D2 to a so-called relay emergency valve F. The trailer carries a compressed air reservoir Rf-2 connected by a line G to the relay emergency valve. Hose lines L-3 connect the relay einer?` gency valve to the brake motors M. l

The relay emergency valve Fis of a known type which acts to control the operation of brake motors M in response to actuation of the brake pedal, and which also acts automatically to apply the trailer brakes whenever the trailer is uncoupled from the tractor with attendant uncoupling of members C-I and C-2 from members D-I and D-2 after parking of the trailer, or in the event that'the trailer should break away from the tractor. A relay emergency valve suitable for the purpose is a Bendix-Westinghouse- RE-l or RIE-1C relay emergency valve, manufactured by the Bendix-Westinghouse Automotive Air Brake Company of Elyria, Ohio, and described in said companys Instruction Pamphlet No. 5072-A, dated April 1949. Full details of operation of the brake system may be ascertained from said pamphlet. For the purposes of this invention, it is only essential to understand that air under pressure is supplied from the reservoir R4 through line L-I, coupling rmembers C-I and D-'I and emergency lineE to the relay emergency valve F whenever members C-i and D-Ir are coupled together upon coupling the tractor to'the trailer, and that emergency line E is Vented to: atmosphereat coupling member D-I upon disconnection oi CI from D-I. Assuming that lines` L-I and L-2 are coupled to the trailer, air flowsf-rom-:the reservoir R-I through the emergency line E,r4 the relay emergency valve F and. into; the trailer reservoir R2. to charge the latter. `When the tractor brake pedal is depressed, the brake valvefV acts to deliver air through line lf2 and service line S lto the relay emergency valve,

which thereupon acts to allow iowV of air from.,

between its other end and the inlet port 5. The working end of the plunger toward the closed end of the cylinder is designated 21. The plunger is made hollow for some distance from its working end 21 to provide a longitudinal passage 29 for communication from the space in the cylinder between the workingendo the plunger and the closed end of the cylinder to a lateral port 3| in the plunger spaced from its working end 21. The length of the passage 29 is greater than the longitudinal extent of the series of cylinder ports. In the passage 29 is a ball` check, valve 3-3 adapted to open upon movement of the plunger toward the closed end of the cylinder. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the plunger in a charging position, wherein its Working end 21 is retracted past the inlet port 5, and the plunger is movable from this charging position toward the closed end of the cylinder through a pressure strokesuccessively to force out individual charges through the outlet ports 1 to 25 as the lateral plunger port 3 IV passesthe outlet ports'l More particularly,4 the cylinder I comprises an elongate cylinder block of generally square cross section, thereby having four at sides 35, 31, 39 andv 4I, and having a central longitudinal boreA 43 with an externally threaded cylindrical eX- tension 45 at its right end and a counterbore 41 in its left end. The right end of the cylinder is closed byl a head I9V threaded on the extension 45. The head has a closed-end bore 5I forming a continuation of the Ibore 43. Packing 53 is compressed between the endof the head and the' shoulder at they root ofV extension'llB for sealing purposes.

Y end ofthe cylinder into the motor J which has a supplyof air tothe motors M, the diaphragrns v venting-of line E.) air flows from. the trailer reser- Y voir R-Z. to the. motors M to apply thezb-rakes.V

In accordancerwith` this invention, I provide onthe trailer, and -xedat any suitable locationthereon, one or more multiple injector meansgenerally designated H', and to Ibe more particu-- larly. described, for .dispensing measured charges of,.lubriczmt'fromVv a supply to points of lubrication `on the trailer. Two injectors are shown in- Fig. 2. Each injector (dispensing means) is operated by anair motorJ. The air motors J are supplied withfairfrom the emergency line E, and actintermittently toi-operate the injectors each time. that a tractor is coupled to' the trailer and the. `tractor hose lineL-I. is coupled to the trailer at.D-I. The motors are vented whenever cou;- pling memberC-I at the end-Y of the hose line L--I` isuncoupled from' member D- I-.

Each injector H, as illustratedherein, is ofV a type disclosed in thezcopend-ing. coassi'gned appli cation offnVictor` G. Kleinand- Carl- H. Mueller,- entitled. Injector Serial No'. 255,828, filed. November 10, 195.1., Referring to` Figs.. 3 8, injector H` is shown to. comprise a cylinder Iv closed at one end,A thisendbeing its right end as illustrated. A plunger 3 is movable in the cylinder toward and. awayfrom itsclosed end. The cylinder has alateralinleteport 5- spaced from. its. closed end, and a series of Izenav longitudinally spaced lateral outleti ports 1,'. 3,. IIL, I3; I5, I.1,. |19,v 2rI, 23 and- 25 have four screw holes located on the corners of a V square so that the iitting may be oriented in any one` of four angular positions. Packing S3 is compressed between thetting and the side 35. The plunger 3 has a close sliding fit in the bore 43. The lateral port 3 I' in the plunger is formed as an annular peripheral groove with radial openings (i5-from the passage 29- to the groove. The passage 29 is formed by boring the: plunger, then counterboring to form a valve chamber 51. A valve seat Y1I is fitted in a short counterbore at the outer end of chamberY 61 and held therein by peening over theendf of the plungerv as indicated at 13. This is accomplished after insertion of the ball33 and a spring 15 which reacts from the shoulder at the inner end of the valve chamber 61 to lbias the ball toward the valve seat 1 I.

The successive outlet ports 'I to 25 are successively angularly offset. Five of the outlet ports are located'in one side ofthe cylinder, andv the remaining ve rareV located in the opposite side of the cylinder. The side 39 of the cylinder opposite' the inlet port 5 isY completely closed. As shown herein, the'k outlet ports 9, It, i12', 2i and.` 25' lead' laterally out of the bore lfto the side 31 of the cylinder. The outlet ports 1, II, I5, 'I9 and 23' lead laterally out ofY the bore #i3 tothe side 4I ofthe cylinder. Each outlet port is counterbored at its outer end to form a socket for receiving theend'of a lubricant delivery line.

The plunger extends out of the left- The sockets are all designated by the reference character 19, and the delivery lines (tubes) are all designated by the reference character 8|. Lines 8| lead to various points of lubrication on the trailer. Outlet ports 9, I3, |1, 2| and 25 are staggered, the ports 9, |1 and 25 and the ports I 3 and 2| being located in two different rows in the side 31 of the cylinder; and, similarly, outlet ports 1, I5, I9 and 23 are staggered, the ports |9and 25 and the ports |5 and 25 being arranged in two different rows in the side -4| of the cylinder.

For connecting the individual lubricant delivery lines to the cylinder and for packing the connections to prevent leakage, on each oi the sides 31 and 4| of the cylinder there is used a packing member comprising an integral formation of a web 83 and a plurality of ferrules 95. The number and arrangement of the fer-rules corresponds to the number and arrangement of the sockets or openings 19 in one side oi the cylinder. The openings through the fer-rules are of such size as originally slidably to receive the delivery lines or tubes 8|. The ferrules extend on opposite sides of the web 83, so that packing members may be used interchangeably on the opposite sides of the cylinder, and taper toward their outer ends as indicated at 81. The packing member is preferably made of a relatively soft plastic material, such as polyvinylidene chloride, which may be obtained under the trade name Saran. A follower 89 is used with the packing member. This consists of a flanged plate having openings 9| in number and arrangement corresponding to the number and arrangement of ferrules.

In connecting the lubricant lines 8i to the cylinder, the lines are inserted through the openings in the follower 89 and the ferrules 95 of the packing member, and the latter is then applied against the side of the cylinder with the tapered ends of the ferrules toward the cylinder engaged in the sockets for the lubricant lines and the tapered ends of the ferrules away from the cylinder engaged in the openings in the follower'. The follower is secured to the cylinder by screws 93, the screws being tightened sufciently to elfect a radial compression of the fel-rules into sealing engagement with the lubricant lines.

When the plunger is in the Fig. 5 charging position, lubricant flows from the inlet port 5 directly into the space in the cylinder between the working end 21 of the plunger and the closed end of the cylinder, the lateral port or groove 3| being blocked. The relation of the longitudinal spacing of the successive outlet ports 1 to 25 and of the last outlet port 25 and the inlet port 5 to the width of the groove 3| is such that as the plunger is moved from its charging position toward the closed end of the cylinder through a pressure stroke, the groove 3| `cornes into communication with the rst outlet port 1 as the end 21 of the plunger blocks oi the inlet port 5, and then comes into communication with each successive outlet port as it passes out of communication with the preceding outlet port. This is accomplished by making the intervals between the successive outlet ports equal to the width of the groove 3|. By "interval is meant the distance in the longitudinal direction from the trailing edge of any port (its right edge nearest the closed end of the cylinder) to the leading edge (the left edge farthest from the closed end of the cylinder) of the next successive port. These intervals are indicated at X in Fig.

7, each being equal to the width of the groove 3|. The distance from the working end 21 of the plunger to the right edge of the groove 3| is made equal to the distance from the right edge of the inlet port 5 to the left edge of the first outlet port 1 so that the groove comes into communication with the first outlet port 1 as the plunger reaches the position where it blocks off the inlet port 5.

When the plunger is driven from its charging position illustrated in Fig. 5 to the right toward the closed end of the cylinder, lubricant is displaced from within the space in the cylinder between the working end 21 of the plunger and the closed end of the cylinder outward through the inlet port 5 until the plunger reaches a position wherein it blocks off the inlet port and wherein the right edge of the groove 3| first encounters the leading (left) edge of the rst outlet port 1. Then, as the groove 3i passes by the outlet port 1, the valve 33 opens and a` charge of lubricant is forced out from the cylinder through the passage 25, the radial ports 65, the groove 3| and the outlet port l in amount determined by the displacement of the plunger as it moves through the complete distance over which the groove 3| is open to the port l. It will be seen that this distance is equivalent to twice the width of the groove 3| plus the width (diameter) or" the port 1.

As the plunger continues its pressure stroke, the right edge of the groove 3i next encounters the leading (left) edge of the next outlet port 9, as the left edge of the groove 3| is cut off from the preceding port 1. Then as the groove 3| passes by the port 9, a charge of lubricant is forced out of the cylinder through the outlet port 9 in amount the same as previously discharged through the port l. This action is repeated as the groove 3| passes by the remaining outlet ports I to 25. Thus, as the plunger is driven through a pressure stroke from its charging position, equal charges are forced out of the cylinder successively through the outlet ports 'I to 25 one after another. Upon return of the plunger to charging position (Fig, 5), the cylinder is recharged with lubricant for the next cycle of operation.

As shown in Fig. 2, the two injectors H are supplied with lubricant from a trailer-mounted supply cylinder 55 having two outlets connected lines 59 to the injector inlet fittings 51. Lubricant in the cylinder is forced toward the injectors by a spring-biased piston 91.

Each motor J comprises a cylinder Ii!! formed at one end with the aforesaid projection 55, and having a head |53 at its other end. In the head is a port |95. A piston iEi'I is slidable in the cylinder. The plunger extends into a recess |59 in the piston. On the end of the plunger in the recess is a collar lli. A coil compression spring H3 is compressed between the collar and a packing retainer I|5 at the end of projection 55.. The arrangement is such that upon admission of air to the cylinder through the port |95, the piston |91 is driven to the right as viewed in Fig. 3 against the bias of spring i3 to drive the plunger 3 from its charging position through a pressure stroke. Upon venting the cylinder through the port |95, the spring returns the plunger to charging position, the plunger pushing the piston |01 to its retracted position against the head |03 illustrated in. Fig. 4. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the ports |05 of the two air motors J are both connected to the emergency line E by a line |1.

amaca?.

Operation is asfollows :1

Whenever thecoupling member C4 isdisconnected from the couplingv member D-l, as,l when' the tractor is uncoupled' from the.V trailer after parking, each` of the air motors J isrvented to atmosphere through. the line IH and thezline'Ef. (This also results in. application of the trailer brakes.) Under these circumstances, the air motor pistons |81 are retracted by their springs ured charges as above described lthrough theluf bricant lines Si to the points of lubrication of the trailer to which the lubricant lines` are connected. The plunger-s 3 remain in position at the end of their pressure stroke (Fig. 3) as long as Vthere is air under pressure behind the pistons I'Dlin the cylinders itl othe'motors J. The next time the line LA is uncoupledfrom the-trailer, as occurs the next timerthe'tra'iler isparked and the tractor uncoupied, the air'inotors are vented through the line l i? andthe lineV E, and .the plungers 3 are returned by springs H3 to their charging posi-- tions for recharging of the injectors with lubricant from supply cylinder Q5. The next tin-lathe line Irl` is coupled tothe trailer, as when the trailer is next picked upl for towing, the injectors are again operated to dispense measured charges of lubricant, and soon.

From the above, it will be seen that the injectors are operated intermittently to dispense measured charges of lubricant from the supply to the points of lubrication on the trailer each time a tractor is coupled tothe trailer for towing the trailer, the coupling of the tractor to the trailer'necessitating the coupling of line L-l to the trailer in order to release the trailer brakes so that the. trailer may be towed. Thus, lubrication of the trailer every time that a tractor is coupled thereto is insured simply in response to operations incident to driving of the tractor'in connection with the trailer. This assures that the trailer'will be lubricated even though it may not return to its base of operations for a considerable period of time and may be driven many thousands of miles in the interim, inasmuch as in the normal course of hauling the trailer will be parked at frequently recurring intervals and there will be frequent occurrences of coupling and uncoupling of a tractor thereto.

It will be understood that only one injector mayY be needed, or that more than tw-o injectors may be used, this depending' upon the number'of points of lubrication and the number of outlets per injector. Using the injector herein illus-` Y tratedfhaving ten outlets, twofl are usually sunt-I' cient to take care of the usualtrailer. It will also.

be understood that, if' desired, provision may be made for lubricatingY one or more points of lubrication on the tractor from an injector, though this may require; the provision of disconnectiblelubricant lines.

In view of the above, it will be seen that theA several objects of theinvention are achievedy and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing. from the scopev of the invention, Vit is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown: in. the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted:

as illustrative and not ina limiting sense.

I claim.:

In a trailer having an air brake systeml including a compressed air reservoir, an air-supply line which is supplied with compressed air through` a disconnectible coupling from a source on a tractor coupled to the trailer, said line being'conxnected to thereservoir via valve means acting to maintain the reservoir charged and said line holding compressed, airl throughout periods of connection at said coupling and being ventedA tol atmosphere onlyl upon disconnection at said cou'- pling, a lubrication system for they trailer com-` prising' means for dispensing measured charges of lubricant from a supply on` theY trailer to individual points of lubrication on the trailer, said dispensing means including a reciprocating plunger adapted' uponv movement i-none direc---v tion to effect dispensing oflubricant and upon movement' in the oppositedirection to effect recharging of the dispensing means, an air motor comprising a cylinder and a piston workingin the cylinder Vcoupled to-th'efplunger, said cylinderv having a connectionv tolsaid air' lineV ata point' a stroke in the opposite direction, whereby' lu'- brication is effected in response to the acts of connection and disconnection at said coupling.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

